Car-coupling



F. KALATA.

CAR COUPLING. I APPLICATION FILED ]AN.30, I919.

Patented Sept. 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- awvewboz J 'Iahj La F. KALATA.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1919.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KALATA, or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed January 30, 1919.. Serial No. 273,971.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK KALATA, a citizenof Polanth-residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and Stateof Illi-' nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a coupler for railwaycars such as mine cars, that is simple in construction, possesses greatstrength in holding the cars together and is easily released whendesired at a point removed from the engaging elements so that in ury tothe operator is prevented.

A further object of the invention is the provision. of a car couplerthat is automatic in its operation of connecting adjacent cars together,the same being capable of manual release at a point above the couplerwhenever desired.

lVith these general objects in view the invention will be fullydescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings and in which likereference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coupler in itsclosed position adjacent portons of the connected cars beingillustrated,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a porton of the same with parts removed andbroken away, taken upon line .IIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, 7

Figs. 4c, 5, and 6 are sectional views taken upon lines IVIV, V-V, andVL-VI, respectively, of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one jaws detached.

My coupler being designed for employment upon any form of cars, the sameis herein illustrated installed for detachably connecting together thedrawhead portions 10 and 11 of adj acently positioned cars. A casing 12is secured beneath the head or of the beam 10 at one end of a car, notshown, and

is provided with a tongue 13 slidably mounted therein while sprlngs 1 1within the casing 12 bear against a plate 15 upon the inner end of thetongue 13 for normally resiliently I means of bolts 19. Bifurcated sideportions 20 of the coupler 17 are each provided with a-jaw 21 pivotedtherein by a pin 22. A bore 93 is provided in the member 17 within whicha spring 21 is secured having its opposite ends bearing in grooves 25upon the inner faces of the jaws 21 whereby the forward hooked end 26 ofthe jaws are normally positioned at the innermost limit of their travel.I

The end 16 of the tongue 13 is in the shape of an arrowhead and ispositioned in substantial alinemen't with the bore 23 so that when theadjacent cars are considerably separated, the approaching movement ofthecars springs the head 16 against the beveled faces 27 of the jaws 21 forreception between the same. The head 16 will be received between thehooked end portions 26 of the jaws 21 and be held by the jaws throughthe action of the spring 24: so that the cars will be connected togetheras illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

A shaft 28 extends through a perforation 29 of the shank 1S and into thebore 23, the said shaft being screw-threaded through a boss 30 mountedupon the said arm. Chains 31 are attached as at 32 to the ends or leverportions 33 of the jaws 21 and pass over pulleys 34 adjacent to;perforations 35 through the arm 18 provided for the said chains. Thechains 31 are attached to a pull-chain 36 which is connected by means ofa swivel 37 with the inner end of the shaft 28.

A handle 38 is provided upon the shaft 28 as well as a cars bar 39 forconvenience in turning the said shaft. The releasing operation of thejaws 21 will be apparent from this detailed description thereof, therevolving of the shaft 28 in one direction, tending to screw the sameoutwardly of the boss 30, thereby pulling inwardly upon the chains 36and 31 for depressing the lever members 33 and disengaging the hooks 26from the head 16. The handles 38 and 39 will be positioned at somedistance above the head 11 and shank 18 so that the jaws 21may-bereadily released without the necessity ,of the brakesman or otheroperator descending to manually operate the said jaws 21. After the jawshave been releasedfrom the tongue to again receive and hold the tongue13.'

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t t 14, 192

transversely of said head with the inner end extending into the bore, aswivel block at the inner end of the screw shaft, a plurality of rollerbearings within the head, and a flexible connection within the bore ofthe head between the swivel block on the screw shaft and said hookedjaws and passing over said bearings whereby axial movement of said shaftin one direction will re- 20 lease the jaws from the tongue.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK KALATA.

